Problem with grouping in iTunes.

[mulder]

I've linked to a screenshot, so you can see exactly what I am referring to.

I listen to a weekly radio show called A State of Trance. I grab the mp3's of the session off torrents, so often times the titles might be different or various other things in the mp3 tags don't match up the way I like. However, once I have them inside iTunes, I edit all of their tags to be the same.

Do you have any ideas what could be causing these two titles to separate off on their own? I've done things such as completely deleting the data for the Album, Artist, Name fields. In the "grouped with artwork" view, I have used iTunes' auto-complete feature to edit the fields thinking that might be it. Nothing helps. I just recently selected all of the files together and edited their information at once hoping that would ensure everything was the same, but nothing.

It's really just a minor annoyance, but an annoyance nonetheless.

I am running iTunes 7.6.0.29 on Windows XP Pro SP2 if that makes a difference.

 

[SoundTheSurrender]

I'm having the same issue. What I do is rename the Album title to AA or something, then I change it back to the original album and it usually groups them again.

 

[mulder]

That is so odd. I just tried what you suggested. In my example screenshot I renamed Episode 312's album to something else. Episode 322 jumped back into the grouping immediately. It's almost like the other title was acting like a barrier or something. However, when I rename Episode 312 back to the original album name it goes back to the original problem. Strange!

Thanks for the tip though. I am going to continue testing other things I can rename in hopes of fixing this.

 

[erikistired]

do they have album or song numbers?

i can make compilation albums separate if i sort by artist instead of album, is that it maybe?

 

[SoundTheSurrender]

If that didn't work, change the artist and album at at the same time. I had to try that as well when it didn't work.

 

[umrigar]

Maybe you need to tick the option "Part of a compilation" in the track info.

Here are a few screen shots.

Select several tracks, this is what you want to change (in red box):
http://img.photobucket.com/alb...ecay/temp/iteminfo.png

All tracks checked "compilation":
http://img.photobucket.com/alb...vedecay/temp/comp1.jpg

First track unchecked:
http://img.photobucket.com/alb...vedecay/temp/comp2.jpg

 

[rikadik]

What you are experiencing happens when the ID3 information is inconsistent across an album. It's usually easy to troubleshoot:

1. Select all the songs, right-click on any and select get info. If the album is NOT a compilation, select No in the relevant field and make sure the tickbox next to it it checked, and clear the Album Artist field by leaving or making it blank and like before make sure it is ticked. If the album IS a compilation, select Yes in the relevant field (and make sure its ticked) and then enter something under Album Artist - this could be anything. Click OK and see if its solved your problems.

(in your case I'd treat the Armin tracks as not being a compilation)

Still a problem?

2. Go to the last track of the group (in your case episode 311) and get info as above. Click next to view the next songs info - did you see any of the information change (other than the title track number)? If so, that is what is causing the problem. Common discrepancies are different years, different CD or track information. You need to make them match. The easiest way is to select all of the tracks, clear (and tick) all fields other than Title, Artist and Track Number (and Album Artist and Compilation if a compilation) then select ok.

This should fix any problems.

If there is still a problem check that the Artist is exactly the same for all of them... no accidental spaces at the end etc?

And if all this doesn't work then... smash your computer.

 

[Tegeril]

Album Artist field is most likely the culprit.

 

[mulder]

Thanks again for all the suggestions. I finally seemed to be able to get it to work using a combination of things. Before I mention what worked for me, I tried erasing all ID3 tag information and reimporting into iTunes and then editing the information. Nothing. I had to select all songs, then tick "Yes" for Compilation (even though I didn't really want to treat these episodes as such). That fixed it. Yay! I decided to select all again, then tick "No" for Compilation. Everything stayed together. Double yay!!

Hopefully, this will help others who experience the same problem. In my case, editing the Album Artist, Artist, Album, etc. never helped. I edited everything I could think of. I also clicked back and forth between two songs trying to see even the minor discrepancy. Nothing. Oh well, at least it's fixed now.

Thanks!